Vietnam passport & visa photo requirements

When applying for a Vietnamese passport or visa, the passport photo is an essential part of your application.

If your photo doesn't meet the requirements set by the Vietnamese government, your application could be delayed or even rejected. We’re here to ensure that doesn’t happen.

We've created a guide to explain the photo requirements for your Vietnamese travel documents. Whether you’re applying for a visa for the first time or renewing your passport, this guide will make sure your photo is exactly as it should be.

Guidelines for Vietnam passport and visa photos

If you need a Vietnamese passport or visa, your photo must meet these specifications:

• Recent photo: The picture must be taken within the last six months to accurately represent your current appearance.

• Photo dimensions: The photo should be 40 mm x 60 mm. Your face should take up around 70-80% of the image, and the distance from the top of your head to the bottom of your chin should be about 32-36mm. If you plan to get a visa on arrival, the image should be 30mm x 40mm.

• Quality: The photo must be in color, clear, and in sharp focus. It must also be printed on high-quality photographic paper with no ink marks or creases. The image must not be retouched or digitally altered and should clearly show your natural skin tone. Digital images should be in JPG or PNG format and not exceed 2MB.

• Background: Use a plain, white background with no patterns or shadows. There should be a clear contrast between your face and the background.

• Head position: Look directly at the camera without tilting your head. Your head and shoulders should be level and centered in the frame.

• Facial expression: You should have a neutral expression with your eyes open and visible and your mouth closed.

• Lighting: Make sure the light is even and doesn’t cast shadows or create glare on your face or in the background.

• Eyeglasses: If you must wear glasses, they should be prescription, and you must present a medical certificate. The frames should be thin enough not to block your eyes. Your eyes should still be clearly visible, and there must be no glare on the lenses. Tinted lenses and sunglasses are not allowed.

• Head coverings: Head coverings are only allowed for religious reasons. Your facial features, including the edges of your face, must still be visible.

• Hair and clothing: Wear regular, everyday clothes that contrast with the white background. Avoid tank tops. Your hair shouldn’t cover your eyes or hide your face. Minimal jewelry is allowed as long as it doesn’t obscure your face.

Taking passport & visa photos for infants and children

Extra attention is needed when taking passport and visa photos of infants and children. While the basic criteria for photo quality, background, and how recent the photo must be are the same as for adults, the other guidelines are more flexible to manage the challenges of photographing young children.

• Face positioning: For children under the age of 10, the face should occupy 50-80% of the photo, with the face measuring between 22-36mm from the top of the head to the bottom of the chin.

• Eyes visibility: The child's eyes should be open and visible. Capturing infants with their eyes open might take some time and patience. Glasses should be avoided unless medically necessary. They should not cover the eyes, and there must be no glare on the lenses.

• Facial expression: Infants aren't expected to maintain a neutral expression like adults. However, try to photograph them looking calm with their mouths closed.

• Clothing: Dress your child in simple, everyday outfits that don’t hide their face. Accessories like hats and pacifiers are not allowed, but religious head coverings are acceptable as long as they reveal the child’s entire face.

• No visible support: If you need to hold the child to keep them upright, make sure that your hands or any part of your body are not showing in the photo. ​

• Focus on the child: Do not use any props. The photo should only include the child, without other people or distractions.

For infants who can’t sit or stand on their own, the photo can be taken from above while they lie on a plain white backdrop or placed in a car seat covered with a plain white cloth.

Learn what every traveler should know before visiting Vietnam in our trip guide.

Get support for your Vietnamese eVisa application

If you’d like to apply for a Vietnamese eVisa and need more information, you can get in touch with our customer support team. Contact them any time via WhatsApp or through the iVisa chat.